Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) is caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), particularly the HIV-1 strain. Most currently approved therapies for HIV infection target the viral reverse transcriptase and protease enzymes, with one additional approved drug targeting gp41 to inhibit viral entry. Within the reverse transcriptase inhibitor and protease inhibitor classes, resistance of HIV to existing drugs is a problem. Therefore, it is important to discover and develop new antiretroviral compounds.
Japanese patent application 03-227923 describes coumarins with anti-HIV activity.
A compound of the formula:
is described as a synthetic intermediate in the synthesis of pyrano[2,3-b]quinoline alkaloids in M. Sekar and K. J. Rajendra Prasad (1998) J. Nat. Prod. 61: 294-296.